Springboard vs. Lambda School Comparison

Springboard and Lambda School both offer a variety of courses designed to help students find a job in the tech industry. Both bootcamp providers pride themselves on their programs’ ultimate results in helping students kickstart a new career. However, there are a number of key differences between Springboard and Lambda School. Reviewing these differences can help you make an informed decision that best fits your needs and budget.

Read on to find out more about the differences between Springboard and Lambda School.

• Not ready to pick a bootcamp just yet? Head over to our bootcamp criteria guide.
• Want to find out how Springboard stacks up against other bootcamps? Check out our bootcamp comparison guide.

What Is Lambda School?

Lambda School is a 100% online, Silicon Valley-based bootcamp provider designed to prepare students for careers in the tech industry.

Each program is 40 hours per week and lasts for nine months, and features live collaboration with other students across different teams. A part-time option that lasts for eighteen months is also available. Students are placed into teams and work together, synchronously, to complete a group project that can be showcased to future employers.

Lambda School offers three courses in data science, full-stack web development, and iOS development, all of which feature a team of instructors, team leaders, and coordinators.

Springboard vs. Lambda School: What Are the Main Differences?

Springboard and Lambda School both provide students with different support options for learning remotely, as well as robust online communities and a mentorship-based model. However, when comparing Springboard vs. Lambda School bootcamps, there are some crucial differences.

What's the Learning Format?

Maintaining a good work-life balance is key to having a successful learning experience. When it comes to learning style, what suits one student may not suit another. This is why the format of an online bootcamp is so important.

Springboard bootcamps and Lambda School bootcamps are formatted differently. Here is a brief snapshot of the main differences between the two providers.

Springboard:

• A fully self-paced course schedule that’s 100% online
• Springboard’s curriculum is composed of a series of videos, reading materials, and interactive projects designed by industry experts to cater to a multitude of student learning styles
• Springboard’s software engineering bootcamp covers today’s most in-demand languages like Redux, Python, or React
• On average, Springboard’s bootcamps—called Career Tracks—are designed to take between six to nine months to complete with 15-20 hours of work per week.
• All Career Tracks offer at least one capstone project to be completed as part of the course curriculum in order to help students build out their portfolios

Lambda School:

• Courses are 100% online, synchronous, and allow students to interact live with instructors and other students
• Full-time courses are 40 hours a week for 9 months. Part-time courses last for 18 months. Both courses have set meeting and collaboration times
• Courses cover languages like Redux, Python, and React
• Daily coursework involves interacting with instructors and working individually with access to help from your peers and teachers
• Students also collaborate with their peers to complete projects every month

What Are the Mentorship and Human Support Options?

Human support is as vital to a great bootcamp experience as the strength of the curriculum. Students should consider how a bootcamp provider will help them maintain productivity and motivation all while having the resources they need to overcome roadblocks.

Here is a quick summary of the mentorship and human support options offered by Springboard and Lambda School.

Springboard:

• One-on-one mentorship
• Weekly mentor calls with specialized industry experts. Career Track students can book any number of additional mentor calls as needed
• Guided career coaching throughout students’ education and job application processes
• Student success manager who helps students develop study plans, answer logistical queries and helps them stay accountable to their goals

Lambda School:

• Instructors who interact with students and lead the class via Zoom
• Team leaders who meet with groups of six-eight students, all well as for one-to-one sessions
• Coordinators guide students on which course to take and help them progress through the curriculum
• Student community made up of current students and alumni featuring in-person meetups, collaborative coding sessions, conversations with leaders in the industry, and interactions via Slack
• Career coaching available during the course and after graduation to assist students with finding employment

What Are the Prerequisites and Prep Courses Offered?

Bootcamps usually require students to meet certain prerequisite skills and backgrounds. These vary depending on program requirements, and are designed to make sure the course is a great fit for the student based on their goals and previous experience.

Here are the main differences between Springboard and Lambda School prerequisites and prep courses.

Springboard:

• Springboard requires students to pass a free technical skills survey before enrolling in the program. On average, these surveys are structured to take under an hour to complete, and measure whether the course is a good fit for the student based on knowledge of both technical and soft skills
• Students are not required to go through a “fit interview” for programs other than software engineering
• Springboard offers prep courses for aspiring data science and software engineering students who feel they do not qualify for these technical programs right away

Lambda School:

• The data science and iOS Development curriculums require preparatory coursework that introduces students to basic technical concepts as part of the application process
• For the full-stack web course, students must complete assessments as part of the application process. These assessments consist of an aptitude test and code challenge

How Much Does It Cost?

A Springboard bootcamp is a significantly lower financial commitment than a Lambda School bootcamp.

Springboard:

• Springboard Career Tracks cost between $5,500 and $9,000 for students who pay upfront
• Though Springboard does not offer ISAs for any of its courses, students who aren’t able to pay the Career Track tuition cost upfront have access to a deferred tuition financing option, where they pay a fixed amount only after getting a job
• Springboard provides students with a loan-based financing option through Climb Credit
• Springboard offers scholarship options for underserved communities

Lambda School:

• Courses cost $30,000 upfront
• Lambda School offers an income share agreement, or ISA. This allows students to enroll with no upfront payment, instead paying back tuition costs once they are making at least $50,000 at a job. Students will pay 17% of their income for 24 months, but this won’t exceed the total $30,000. The payments will also be paused with no interest if a student’s income stops, and the ISA expires after five years of deferred monthly payments
• Lambda School’s ISA has a cap on how much students have to pay, and once the cap is reached, they no longer have to make payments. The cap can be reached by making 24 payments, paying back a total of $30,000, or accumulating monthly deferred payments for 60 months

What's the Application Process?

Both Springboard and Lambda School have a straightforward application process. The key differences between the two bootcamp providers are outlined below.

Springboard:

• Students fill out an application form for their desired programs online and are screened for prerequisite requirements
• Some courses require students to take a technical skills survey. If a student is not able to pass the assessment, they can enroll in a prep course that will give them the necessary skills to complete the survey successfully
• Once all requirements are met, students are contacted by an admissions director, who helps facilitate enrollment, financing options, and mentor matching

Lambda School:

• For the data science and iOS development courses, students will apply by creating a profile and telling Lambda School about their background. Next, students complete the course prework and complete enrollment by providing proof of their previous education, signing the agreements and choosing a tuition payment option
• For the full-stack web course, students apply and then complete assessments instead of course prework. These assessments include an aptitude test and code challenge. The application process is completed by providing proof of previous education, signing the agreements and choosing a tuition payment option

What Are the Outcomes?

A bootcamp succeeds when its students go on to find roles and careers they love that will enable them to do their best work. A successful bootcamp will have a stellar track record of placing students into new roles.

This is how Springboard’s and Lambda School's outcomes stack up against each other.

Springboard:

• Springboard graduates report an average salary increase of $26,000 in their job offers (data from data science and UX programs). This means the average Springboard Career Track pays for itself in 3-5 months
• In addition, 85% of all Springboard students received an offer within four months, with 53% of students overall receiving a job offer prior to graduating

Lamda School:

• Forbes reported in 2019 that 86% of Lambda School graduates had jobs within 180 days of graduating and a median starting salary of $60,000. An article in New York Magazine reported different findings that were lower than claimed on the website
• Lambda School has several testimonials from students who were able to land much higher-paying and rewarding jobs after graduating

What's the Job Guarantee?

Both Lambda School and Springboard have ways of helping their graduates succeed.

Springboard:

• Springboard offers students a six-month runway to secure a role in their industry. If students don’t secure a position within six months, Springboard refunds 100% of tuition

Lambda School:

• Lambda School does not have a job guarantee. Instead, it offers a network designed to help students find jobs. This includes career coaches who work one-to-one with students, local mentors, hiring partners looking to hire alumni of Lambda School, and experts in the industry
• Lambda School also has a team that directly contacts hiring managers to connect them to students

What Are the Pros and Cons?

Need a more straightforward way to distinguish between Springboard vs. Lambda School? Below is a list of key pros and cons for each bootcamp provider.

Springboard pros:

• Job guarantee. If students don’t receive an offer for a role within six months of completing the program, their tuition is refunded
• Self-paced learning. Students can choose their own learning schedule that works best for their lifestyle and goals
• Lower price point. On average, Springboard courses cost between $3,300-$9,000

Springboard cons:

• 100% online learning. Springboard does not offer any in-person courses
• Higher accountability requirement. Since Springboard courses are self-paced, it’s up to students to manage their own learning schedule and stay on top of their work
• No instructor access. Springboard students receive one-on-one mentorship but no formalized instruction from tutors or professors

Lambda School pros:

• Income share agreement (ISA). If students use this tuition payment option, they do not need to pay upfront and will instead pay back the tuition cost once they are already earning an income
• Live interaction. Students participate in cross-team collaboration with peers to create projects that showcase their skills. Students are also led by instructors via Zoom
• Career placement. Lambda School has several measures in place to keep its students connected and help them find a job in the industry once they have graduated

Lambda School cons:

• 100% online learning. Lambda School does not offer any in-person classes and instead is conducted entirely online
• Inflexible hours. Because much of the course involves live collaboration, students cannot pick and choose which hours they attend the course. However, Lambda School does offer a part-time option
• No job guarantee. While other schools like Springboard have guarantees that say if their students do not find a job within a certain time frame after graduating, they receive their tuition money back. Lambda School does not have this guarantee

Ready to Learn More?

Browse the Springboard Career Tracks to find the perfect fit for you.

Not ready to enroll just yet? Read more about the factors you should consider while picking a program in our bootcamp criteria guide.

Disclaimer: We’ve worked hard to ensure the information in this comparison guide is accurate and up-to-date. However, mistakes happen. If you spot an error, please get in touch with us at hello@springboard.com and we’ll correct it right away.